If Oscar De La Hoya is the self-named Golden Boy of boxing, Floyd Mayweather Jr is surely the sport's golden goose. When Floyd is in town, everyone makes money. When they join forces, the cash flows like smooth honey.

Whether Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is the man to cook that goose or not at the MGM Grand tomorrow night, De La Hoya, who signed the exciting young Mexican to a promotional contract in January, 2010, will not be there flashing his smile at ringside.

Yet this is Mayweather’s most dangerous assignment since he narrowly beat De La Hoya in the same ring six years ago and De La Hoya, seizing on the size of the task and the money to be made, has for weeks been ramping up his fighter’s chances. He desperately wanted to be there to watch his protégé do what he could not, although that ambition puts him squarely at odds with Showtime, who last year took Mayweather away from HBO and signed him to a six-fight deal that could make him as much as $300 million, fighting each May and September in the MGM Grand, until the day he quits the business.

So clearly the substance addiction that has put De La Hoya into rehab must be serious. He shocked the boxing community when he announced in a statement issued by his promotional company: "I will not be at the fight this Saturday to cheer Canelo to victory, since I have voluntarily checked myself into a treatment facility."

'Biggest fight'
His business partner, Richard Schaefer, described the fight – at a catch weight of 152lbs to accommodate a rise in poundage for Mayweather and a bigger drop for Alvarez, and for the Mexican's WBC light-middleweight belt as well as Mayweather's WBA version – as, "the biggest in many years".

There are two ways to view the absence of the co-promoter: the cynical take is there has been a fallout with Mayweather Promotions; the truth, says Schaefer, is more serious. “The timing isn’t the best,” he said, “but I’m happy Oscar is going to get the help he needs.”

The fight, which Mayweather announced on May 29th and which sold out within 24 hours, not only will again earn him north of $50 million but might even wreck his spotless record. It is a fight not to miss.
Guardian Service